BJP CENTRAL LEADERS PROPOSED MEETING WITH MLAS DEFERRED TILL TUESDAY AFTERNOON
Ahead of a deferred joint meeting between BJP central leaders and NDA legislators from Manipur, BJP headquarter at New Delhi on Monday appointed a central observer for the election of the legislative party leader in the state (Manipur).
The appointment of the central observer came amid fresh speculation of the reinstatement of an elected government in the state after state legislators of the BJP and its partners were invited to New Delhi for a meeting with BJP central leaders, possibly to deliberate on finding ways to re-install the elected government..
The scheduled meeting, which was earlier scheduled for Monday afternoon at 2 pm, reportedly deferred till 3 pm of Tuesday.
Ahead of the deferred meeting, the appointment of the central observer for election of BJP legislators came up.
The BJP Parliamentary Board appointed its national general secretary Tarun Chugh as the central observer for the election of the legislative party leader.
“BJP Parliamentary Board has appointed Shri Tarun Chugh, National General Secretary as Central Observer for the election of the Legislative Party Leader in Manipur,” a BJP headquarter press release signed by its national general secretary & headquarter in-charge Arun Singh read.
The move came amid talks speculating re-installation of the popular government in the state after MLAs of the BJP and its partners –NPP and NPF – were invited to a meeting with party central leaders with undisclosed agenda.
None of the MLAs who left Imphal for New Delhi on Sunday talked about knowing the exact agenda of the meeting.
Most of the MLAs have reached New Delhi and remaining will be reaching by Monday, sources said.
In the 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly, with its 59 effective strength after the demise of one NPP member, the BJP currently holds 32 seats.
Their ally NPP and NPF has seven and five MLAs respectively. Among the three independent MLAs, one is supporting the BJP while the other two belonging to the Kuki tribe had withdrawn their support to the then BJP government after the unfolding of the violent crisis in May 2023.
The Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) , having two members in the state Assembly, had also withdrawn the support. The opposition Congress has five legislators.
The exact number of MLAs who had reached the national capital could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
However, sources said that over 30 MLAs who were invited for the meeting were camped at Delhi.
Meanwhile, a highly reliable source said that Monday’s scheduled meeting had to be postponed till tomorrow afternoon due to the non-arrival of the MLAs belonging to the Kuki tribes.
Of the total 10 Kuki MLAs in the state Assembly, seven of them were BJP legislators.
All the 10 MLAs were reportedly invited to the proposed meeting and they could not reach Delhi due to short notice of the meeting with a source related to non-availability of air tickets in addition.
Most of the MLAs left Imphal on Sunday by air. But, according to them (MLAs), they have no idea of the agenda of the meeting. State BJP president A Sarda Devi who accompanied the MLAs also did not disclose the agenda saying that she was not informed of the agenda to be deliberated in the meeting.
He had told the reporters at Imphal airport, “All NDA legislators have been called. We are hoping and believing that a popular government will be formed.”
Former chief minister N Biren Singh who also left Imphal on Sunday had said “Since all the MLAs of the NDA partners are being invited for a meeting, I expect a positive outcome.”
He added that “Earlier there have been meetings of all BJP MLAs. Then again, the PR term is due to end on February 12. Let’s hope for a positive response.”
National Peoples’ Party (NPP) Manipur unit president Lorho S Pfoze who also left Imphal for New Delhi yesterday had said that he was also invited to the meeting but “Nothing is certain on government formation.”
However, all of them expected the agenda could be related to the re-installation of a popular government in the state before February 12, the day which the President’s Rule in Manipur is to complete one year.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13 last year, following the resignation of former Chief Minister N Biren Singh on February 9 amid threats of a no-confidence motion by legislators.
The six-month extended term of the PR is due to end by February 12 before which it would be mandatory to take a decision on the part of the Central government on whether popular government be re-installed or PR be extended.